John the Baptist Forerunner
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Christianity Oasis provides this John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning study on how to prepare the way of the Lord bringing forth understanding and peace.
Daily Bread Devotional Bible Study
The Book of Malachi
Chapter 3
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning Bible study taking a look into how to prepare the way of the Lord. The thought provoking John the Baptist Forerunner and prepare the way of the Lord message will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart and shine the LIGHT of Truth upon your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk path.
What is the John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning
Prepare the Way of the Lord Explained
It is always nice to have you back with us at Daily Bread! Our study of The Book of Malachi continues, with the prophecy of the forerunner. Let's have a little Daily Bread Crumb to explain the meaning of the word forerunner. A forerunner is one who is sent beforehand to give notice of the arrival of another. This forerunner, will be John the Baptist.
The prophet Isaiah also gave prophecy of the forerunner:
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
If you didn't know the King was coming to visit you, you'd certainly appreciate advance notice by someone, saying, Straighten up, your Majesty will be here soon! When John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, he used the very words that Isaiah prophesied.
Even though it would be approximately 400 years until the announcement of Jesus by John the Baptist, Malachi speaks the words that the Lord gave confirming the prophecy of Isaiah.
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning Today
Prepare the Way of the Lord Prophecy
You can find the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 3:1-3, 11:10, Luke 3:4-6 and John 1:23.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall
stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like
fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver:
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and
silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in
righteousness.
How about a little peek at what it means to abide which is in Verse 2.
to abide
to await, to withstand, to bear patiently, to accept, to remain stable, to continue, to conform to
Take note that this message is still being directed primarily to the priests. And who was it that pursued Jesus? The Pharisees, who were the religious leaders (priests included), known for their earnest defense of the letter of the law. But as we learned in the last two chapters of Malachi, they had become careless in their ways and didn't practice what they preached. They also ignored the messages of the prophets such as this from Malachi, and rejected the identity of Jesus.
This should stir up our own emotions about the undoubting trust that we put in the leaders of our own churches today, as we've seen many a scandal occur in this generation, not to mention heartbreak and even the waning of faith in some people and a falling away of others.
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning Truth
Prepare the Way of the Lord Within You
If you are a religious leader, a believer's concern of your leadership shouldn't anger you in any way, but contrariwise, should make you proud that they are seeking truth, purity and spiritual strength in their leader, not only a good narrator of the Bible. They're a compliment to Christianity, and a good motivator for the entire congregation and leadership to seek honor in their faith.
Let's continue now with the Lord's message through Malachi:
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be
pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a
swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and
against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling
[worker] in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn
aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of
hosts.
6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of
Jacob are not consumed [destroyed].
7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from
mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will
return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein [in
what way] shall we return?
8 Will [can] a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye
say, Wherein [how] have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for [because] ye have robbed
me, even this whole nation.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there
may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith [test me and
see], saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of
Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room
enough to receive it.
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning and Blessing
How to Prepare the Way of the Lord
Too often, we think of our Father as being strict and stern, when in fact, He is just the opposite. He is just. He is kind and gentle. You can feel the hope in His words.
Take note of this next verse:
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.
Remember when all the firstborn of Egypt were slain, and several times when the children of Israel died by plagues in the wilderness because of sinful actions, when many were killed while David was king because of the counting of Israel ... These are example of when an Angel of the Lord, here referred to as "the devourer," was directed by God to destroy.
12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be
a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts.
13 Your words have been stout [strong] against me, saith
the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14 Ye have said, It is vain [worthless] to serve God: and
what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have
walked mournfully [reverently] before the Lord of hosts?
15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up [edified]; yea, they that tempt God are even
delivered.
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning for You
Prepare the Way of the Lord Brings Hope
There is no lack of compassion in our God, for those who are righteous. He is all about Grace. Our sins are as far away as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12), as long as we are sincere and repentant. Malachi explains:
16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to
another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of
remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and
that thought upon His name.
17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in
that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him.
18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous
and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him
not.
You can never go wrong, doing what is right. The Bible is a blueprint for our lives. The Word is filled with the manner in which God wants us to live. And it really is quite easy. God doesn't want us to stand on our heads to please Him. Just sincerely want to, and actually living the Christian life is so rewarding.
John the Baptist Forerunner Meaning Summary
Prepare the Way of the Lord Conclusion
This chapter has many messages, doesn't it? Don't forget that one of the most important messages was the prophecy of the forerunner. The ways of the priesthood and the world were on the wrong path, for many many years. The Lord told Malachi to prophecy that John the Baptist would be arriving to announce the Savior of the world, Jesus, and to get it together!
In our next Daily Bread, we'll look at the final chapter in the prophecy of Malachi. Come on back soon and we'll share it together!
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